Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-01-20
SECOND BIENNIAL MESSAGE
jeremiah M. Rusk.
GOVERNOR OF WISCONSIN.
To the Honorable, the Legislature:

You are again assembled after lapse of two
years of general prosperity vouchsafed the peo-
pie of the State by benign and gracious Provi-
dence and congratulate you upon the MANY
hopeful signs OF continuation for the future
New discoveries have been made and new fields
Of industry and employment are being opened
and the prospects that the resources of the State
will be greatly developed during the coming wear
are gratifying in the extreme While thus con.
graduating you upon our material progress it is
with deep regret that am compelled to report,
that during the past year the peace Of our State
has, In a Few instances, been interrupted by
strikes and riots Of greater ma gnitude of more
violence, and farther reaching in their conse-
quences than ever before. In this connection,
you are reminded that it viii be your duty, as
legislators. to look carefully into the causes of
these troubles, and wherein our laws for the pre-
Vention or Wrong-doing, or the punishment OF,
wrong-doers are found to be defective it will DC,
your DUTY to perfect them by such new legislation
as recent experience and reasonable anticipations
for the future may indicate to be required. While
your own intelligence, aided by your invesiga-
tons and discussions will, have no doubt, lead
you TO satisfactory solution Of all the problems
involved in this subject, yet may be INDUCED in
q few suggestions, which hope will not be found
either impertinent or unwarranted
The discussion of the labor and capital Ques-
ton has become SO extensive, has taken such
wide range, and is being participated in by soI
many people, representing such diversity of
views and interests, that it is not strange it, at
this stage OF the discussion, there is more con-
fusion than clearneSS of thought upon it. To
eliminate from all this confusion and controversy
what Is essential, concrete and practicable, and III
accord with those principles of justice upon
task
1t seems to me that very Important-I might
say, vitalfact in this great agitation has so far
been almost lost sight of, namely: That a large
majority of the people Of every city and every
State where the labor troubles have existed, and
an overwhelming majority of the whole people,
are not directly parties to the controversy at all
The contention is between employees and employ
ers, and both classes combined are but minority
fraction of the whole people, whose peace and
interests are interrupted and their rights violated
a1oH1 ~lArrT
1t is the right and duty of the peOple-that is, OF
the great maJority-to step in and say not only
and through The law and lawfully constituted
authorities to see to it that we do have peace,
and that dlsturbers are promptly and properly
punished.
In a few communities, comparatively, there are
large bodies Of workmen, or labOrerS, who vOun-
tarily choose to worK for Others for wages These,
by general usage, are called . workingInen." But
they are not the only workiHgmen - not the only
laborers in the country. The great majority OF
our people workers. with hands or brain, or
both and to all such belongs equally the p oud
title of laborer. But farther, majority OF the
whole number who do manual productive labor.
employ themselves pan iof themselves,
work for Themselves and take the whole
product of their labor to themselves, and
find market for their surplus when and as
they can This great Independent, Self-rellant
majority is the bone and sinew, the pride and
glory of good citizenship. Among them there
are no strikes or riots, no interference with the
opportunities, liberties and rights OF others. That
their rights and their interests should be Jeopar
died by the restless contentious of q small mi
nority, who rdiculOuSly assume that they are the
only taboreTS of the country, IS wrong too man.
fest to be much longer endured If the parties
to these ever-recurring disturbances cannot find
way of amicably settling their disputes, they
must be made to submit to such legal arbitration
will at least protect the peace and dignity of a
civilized commonwealth.
In indicating that some additional legislation
may be required touching the rights OF Iaborers
of all classes. and their mutual relations to each
other only the most prominent fundamental prin-
ciples of natural liberty and popular government
need be alluded to-
1t has already been assumed that where per-
son employs himself and works on his own prem
ises, and on his material, with his own tools,
the product Of his labor is all his own to do with
as he sees fit That he must be protected in the
full enjoyment of all the fruit of his judgment
labor and skill, it does not require argument to
convince us 1t is Selfevident. But where one
person engages 70 WORK Tor anoIher, on announcer $
premises and material, and with another'S tools
or machinery, it is equally clear that the product
belongs to the employer; the workman's claim
ends with the receipt Of his stipulated wages. The
States duty and province in such cases is simply
to maintain individual rights and enforce the
Luene OF c3nrac f Everyone e rdn S,,c TO
terms as he may choose to make, must be main
tanned at all hazards. He who interferes with
this principle trampleS upon the most sacred OF
human rights and upon consecrated principle OF
American liberty.
Government should not be-indeed cannot af-
ford to be-ndifferent to the welfare of any class
of ctiZenS and it is special duty TO protect the
poor and weak against any possible aggression OF,
the rich and strong. To this end, all the rights
should be jealousy guarded against I'M Justice or
oppression at the hands Of their employers Cor
pOrations created by authority of the State, that
in the nature of their business must be large en-
ployers of labor, that from the nature OF their
business and their charges for service may largely
affect the value Of the product of labor generally
Ito the producer must be held to a strict and JUST
accountability, and be subject always to the con-
troll and regulation OF the State.
With those agrarian and socialistfc theories OF
fanciful society that deny the right of private
property or of each individual to full protection
in the enjoyment and control of all his lawful
by contract, we can have no sympathy. They
are as un-American as monarchy, and as treason
able as secession. They contemplate the destruc-
ton of both justice and liberty, and would accom-
plish the destruction of both if their application
to existing society We're seriously attempted. We
consider a change in our form of government
Republican institutions and individual liberty go
nand in hand and must be and will be Loyalty
maintained.
FINANCES.
The finances of the state are in satisfactory
condition. No tax has been levied upon the coun.
lies Tor the past three years for defraying the eX
penseS Of the State government. In the previous
TWO years tax was levied and collected from The,
several counties amounting to 5000, 66443 foI
State purposes. Notwithstanding the large ap
preparations made by the last legislature,
amounting to about $1,000 all Of which came
out OF the General fund, there remained a bal
ance in that fund, at the close of the biennial
period. September so, 1886, shown by the re
port of the Secretary of State of SlS56S IS
These appropriations and the expenses of the
q State government were paid without levying Il
tax upon the counties. The report of the Secre-
tary of State furnishes a detailed statement of
the receipts and disbursements of the several
funds and the cost Of maintaining the State gov
eminent Unless the Legislature shall make adj
ditional appropriations, above the ordinary ex-
penseS of the Legislative, Judicial and Executive
Departments, no necessity will exist for provid.
ing for any tax levy for the next two years.
TRUST FUNDS.
The productive School fund, on the 30th day or
September 1886, amounted to $2,97S, 1JS.41 ans!
there was to the credit of the fund, in the Treas
ury, on that day, S37, 291.G6. The School fund
income for the biennial period was 1855, 490. SO
including the mill tax, amounting to Sass
1885,, and was apportioned to the several coun.
ties upon the number of children Of school age.
The productive University fund, bearing inter
est, on the 30th day of September, 1886, amounted
20 $685. 1856, and the balance on hand 20 the
credit of the fund, that day, was $37, $50. 10.
The University fund income, fer the biennial
period, amounted to S2I4 G20S1.
The Agricultural College fund.- bearing interest,
on the SOth day Of September, 1886, was S25S,
SSf.f4- and the balance on hand in the treasury
was SSS,753.Q1. The Agricultural Colleoa fund